4. Case study
4.6 Understanding the target audience
In India, one in four youth-adults suffer from depression (India Today Conclave Mumbai, 2019, #). Numerous difficulties that young adults face initially pass for normal before steadily taking control of their life. The mental landscape of children includes difficulties that may seem "insignificant" to adults, such as bullying, problems with friends and family, and academic pressure. In the past five years, about 40,000 young adults have killed themselves in India. 8,492 young people committed suicide in 2018. One in seven (15 to 24 year olds) Indians reported feeling unhappy or lacking interest in activities on a regular basis, according to the poll results, which are published in The State of the World's Children 2021.
A few studies have looked at a variety of symptoms in young individuals, including depression, decreased interest in activities, attention issues, aggression and wrath, pessimism, decreased appetite, poor sleep, anhedonia, and physical symptoms.
Table 4.6.1 Percentage of major factors to depressive mental disorders in India, 2017
Source:(India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative Mental Disorders Collaborators*, 2019)
An individual's mental well-being can be affected by various risk factors from multiple aspects of life. For example, Education: Not performing well academically, Physical punishment at school, Self or parental dissatisfaction with academic achievement, change of schooling, Inability to cope with academics; Family-related: Relationship issues with parents, Parental fights, Stress in the family, Birth of a sibling, death of a family member, Alcohol use and smoking by father; Other: Not having a hobby, Peer pressure, Social isolation, Illness.
The physical transformations of puberty and constant body change are other factors that affect these individuals. Changing bodies can cause changes in peer groups, grown-ups' view of youth, and young people's impression of themselves. Puberty puts a focus on self-perception according to the viewpoint of the young individual. Individuals' psychological idea of their actual self's are related to their body image. It's the idea of one's own changing body, including how it feels, moves through space, appears in the mirror, and how one thinks it seems to others. Emotions, perceptions, bodily sensations, experiences, and moods can influence body image. Cultural messages and societal standards can also have a significant impact.
After researching, interviewing, and analysing potential users' behavior following are a few assumptions:
● 30% are not okay conversing with their parents about their own concerns.
● 45% of young girls end undesirable pregnancies without telling their parents.
● 21% of youthful grown-ups get undesirable requests for sexual demands from outsiders on the internet.
● 65% fdeal with continuing issues to which they see no solution.
● 47% play games on their mobile.
● 1 in 2 young adults goes ahead with kissing or first base.
● 1 in 5 young adults watches porn before the age of 13.
● 15% drink alcohol when they are bored.
● 1 out of 5 young adult smokes at a disturbing pace of 13 to 15 sticks per day.
● 3 in 5 youngsters focus on their physical appearance.
4.6.1 Body image in young adults
Physical changes may be the most obvious signs that a child is transitioning into a youngster. Youths' entire lives are impacted by the physical changes associated with puberty. Peer groups, how adults see teenagers, and how teenagers feel themselves may alter due to changing bodies. From the standpoint of the teen, puberty shines a spotlight on body image. Body image is how individuals see
their physical appearance in their minds. It is the idea of one's own shifting body, including how it travels through space, feels, appears in the mirror, and is seen by others—emotions, perceptions, bodily sensations, experiences, and moods all impact how we perceive our bodies. Messages from culture and societal norms can also have a significant impact.
A young girl's ability to cope with stress often depends on the particulars of her environment or culture. Regarding ideals of body form, shape, and size, there may also be cultural variances. However, early-developing boys also frequently experience stress and anxiety related to bodily changes during puberty. Height, broadness, strength, speed, and muscularity are characteristics boys may develop during puberty that society values highly. Teenagers worry about how they look and behave at all times. One constant of youth is the sense that they are put "on stage" and that everyone's attention is focused on their behavior and looks. Youth is driven by changing brain chemistry to spend excessive time contemplating and examining themselves, which is where this preoccupation comes from.
4.6.2 Social media and its impact
In academia, the subject of youth and media has grown in importance. Various studies have analyzed what media usage affects the way of behaving, ADHD, and weight. An individual's mental and physical health may suffer from using social media excessively. Following are a few significant impacts of social media on youth's mental health:
Depression or stress:The exuberant state of stress or depression is defined by the atrophy or disappearance of pleasurable emotions and sentiments. A depressive condition entails two extreme emotions, where vivacious is down and negative is up, along with various psychological symptoms like anguish and depressive moods, distress, and an impact on one's physical and mental health growth. As a result, teenagers utilize social media and have become dependent on it. As a result,
adolescents exhibit numerous behavioral changes. They do feel lonely; they become easily angered, depressed, etc.
Anxiety and Insomnia:Social media is a widely used technology, making
information about anything accessible anytime. Youngsters spend most of their time on social media, exchanging private information. Hackers abuse their personal data for illegal or illicit activities because they are unaware of the privacy policy. Fear of
missing out is another serious risk factor for anxiety. Poor sleep quality and insomnia may result from FOMO.
Binge-purge syndrome and Low Vision:Irritable bowel syndrome and binge-purge syndrome are brought on by unhealthy disturbances in eating habits. Youth are more likely to exhibit the above disorders since they frequently skip meals. Early exposure to technology and media use can harm their eyesight.
Obesity and other Diseases:Gaining weight is caused by overeating unhealthy food, living a sedentary lifestyle, and not getting enough regular exercise. Diabetes,
osteoarthritis, asthma, high blood pressure, and others are all associated with obesity.
Young people with obesity may have low self-esteem, which affects their emotions and social lives.
Social media entertainment, especially Instagram, has been overwhelmed with emotional well-being connected content during the previous year. Notwithstanding prepared psychological well-being experts, numerous self-depicted care specialists, unlicensed analysts, persuasive orator, and emotional well-being influencers have arisen, offering exhortation or "convenient solutions" to manage the different stresses people have been encountering since the pandemic.Psychotherapists think this has prompted peer tension on youthful grown-ups to feel good, eager with the treatment cycle, and self-diagnosis in light of relating to a portion of the side effects of emotional well-being sicknesses, and different issues.
4.6.3 Social stigma in India
Mental-health-related public stigma has a more significant detrimental influence on young individuals seeking help than adults. Youngsters with emotional
wellness issues are bound to feel socially detached from everybody. What's more, contrasted with grown-ups, young people are less likely to seek treatment for mental health issues due to typical concerns about lack of confidentiality, peer pressure, a desire to be independent, and a lack of information about mental health-related services or services. Unsurprisingly, compared to young adults, teenagers in a study found it more challenging to reveal their mental health issues. This one societal rule from decades back in India about what people will think is still relevant today. Gender, caste, religion, socioeconomic class, and geographic region are irrelevant. It holds sway over people's decisions because they would draw criticism, rumors, and turmoil if their vulnerabilities were
known. Additionally, it discourages urgent psychological care.As per a 2011 World Health Organization review, 36% of Indians encountered a Major
Depressive Episode (MDE) sooner or later in their lives. Along these lines, most people who experience despondency sooner or later in their lives are tracked down in India The drive to fit in and appear "normal" in society emerges as harmful stigma and pressure against seeking help.